Kavous Seyed Emami, an environmentalist, professor of sociology at Tehran's Imam Sadegh University and Founder of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation (Iran's most prominent non-governmental organization focussed on the environment) was arrested on January 24th by intelligence agents, along with several other environmental activists and charged with espionage. His wife received a phone ... Continue Reading>>
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Ethiopian Opposition Leader Freed
Merera Gudina, leader of the Oromo Federalist Congress - government opposition party to the current administration, was released from prison on January 17, 2018. He was released with over 100 political prisoners held in a prison outside of Adis Ababa, and another 350 prisoners held elsewhere. Prime Minister Desalegn Hailemariam announced that jailed "politicians" would have their cases annulled ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Co-Chair Endorses Sanctions Against Turkish Officials Responsible for Arrests and Trials of U.S. Citizens
Following a failed coup attempt in July 2016 against the Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, many Turkish citizens and visitors from other countries have been held as parties to this event. There was a round-up of tens of thousands of citizens who were considered parties to the failed coup. Several American dual citizens were arrested in this round-up, one being an employee of NASA, ... Continue Reading>>
Supreme Court of Iran Confirms Death Sentence of Djalali
The Iranian Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of Ahmadreza Djalali. Iran has accused him of spying for Israel. Djalali was an emergency medicine professor residing in Sweden with his family. He was invited to present a training on emergency and disaster medicine in Iran, as he had done previously. On April 2016 he was arrested and charged with spying. On October 21 he was ... Continue Reading>>
NASA Scientist Imprisoned in Turkey Sentenced to 7.5 Years
Serkan Golge, the NASA scientist arrested and charged with being complicit in the attempted coup in Turkey, was sentenced today to 7.5 years in prison. In July 2016, Golge was accused of spying for the CIA, arrested and charged with terrorism. Golge has always denied any involvement in this event. Golge, his wife and two young sons were in Iran to visit family when the coup attempt took ... Continue Reading>>
The 11 TMA Council Members Arrested in Turkey Released; Charges Not Dropped
The 11 Council members of the Turkish Medical Association who were arrested and jailed last week for issuing a statement stating that war was a health hazard, have been released from jail. The authorities have not imposed a travel ban, but the charges have not been dismissed and they still have to report to court monthly to sign in. CCS and other human rights and medical groups are asking that ... Continue Reading>>
International Reaction to Turkey’s Treatment of the Turkish Medical Association
Summary of actions concerning the Turkish Medical Association. It has been requested by numerous organizations that letters and press releases be sent notifying ambassadors, Turkish authorities, the media, and others about the situation regarding the Turkish Medical Association (referred to as "TMA" and "TTB") and its members for writing a Press Release describing war as a threat to public ... Continue Reading>>
CCS Calls On Turkish Government to Stop Hostile Actions Against Turkish Medical Association
On Tuesday, January 24, the Turkish Medical Association (TMA) received several threats of physical violence and death, some of them identified as coming from a government-recognized civilian militia group known as Halk Özel Harekatı (HÖH). The campaign began after the Turkish Medical Association issued a statement denouncing war as a threat to public health, with specific reference to the war ... Continue Reading>>
Verdict for US NASA Scientist, Jailed in Turkey, Scheduled for February 8
NASA scientist, Serkan Golge, accused of spying for the CIA was arrested in July 2016 and charged with terrorism. He is one of thousands caught up in a government crackdown following a failed coup attempt in Turkey at that time. Golge has always denied any involvement in this event. One of CCS' Board Co-Chairs, Dr. Eugene Chudnovsky, explained that "scientists currently jailed are not released, ... Continue Reading>>
Death Sentence Against Ahmadreza Djalali Provisionally Suspended While Under Review By The Iranian Supreme Court
It was just announced in The Brussels Times that the death sentence against Iranian-Swedish Professor Ahmadreza Djalali has been provisionally suspended while under review by the Iranian Supreme Court. A Supreme Court judge is scheduled to review his case next month. Djalali's attorney, Zeinab Taheri, noted that the file is currently under investigation by a deputy prosecutor and his assistant ... Continue Reading>>